Gülgün Kayim joined our staff as director in July 2023 and departed in January 2026. Here are some words of appreciation and gratitude from our staff: Gülgün, you brought your respectful “Yes, and…” willingness to listen and collaborate. You helped build bridges between people and ideas. I’m so grateful for your… [ Keep reading ]
One of our proudest accomplishments in 2025 was the launch of our new strategic plan, published at the beginning of the year and created by and for the people who make this work possible: our staff. After years of disruption caused by the pandemic across Seattle’s creative sector and multiple… [ Keep reading ]
Last year, more than 290 educators participated in Creative Advantage trainings and workshops. We’re kicking 2026 off with The Seattle Music Education Coalition’s Professional Development Day on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute! The event is produced by Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Visual & Performing Arts Program and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, with collaboration… [ Keep reading ]
The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture supports organizations and individual artists to keep Seattle vibrant and spur economic growth. See our open opportunities for 2026 below! Be sure to sign up for our email list and make sure “Calls for Artists/Grants” is checked to get notified as grants open…. [ Keep reading ]
Over 500 attendees flooded into McCaw Hall at Seattle Center on Tuesday, October 14th for the 2025 Creative Economy Career Day, a free, annual, one-day educational program hosted by The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and the Office of Economic Development. The morning featured panels, presentations and live demonstrations… [ Keep reading ]
Youth leaders were the center of a day of learning for Seattle’s arts educators. The 2025 Creative Advantage Institute kicked off with passionate speeches from Speak with Purpose scholars seeking to raise awareness of students with disabilities. Sam Martin, a 7th grader from Aki Kurose Middle School, spoke directly about… [ Keep reading ]
Our Director, Gülgün Kayim, is featured in the latest issue of AMA Magazine #373. She talks about how we’re working in Seattle to embed arts and culture into the city’s systems—from real estate and zoning, to public art, youth engagement, and economic resilience. As Director of Arts & Culture for… [ Keep reading ]
The Creative Advantage Institute is back at the Seattle Art Museum Saturday, Sept. 27. This day of professional learning in and through the arts is the creative start to the 2025-2026 school year and serves as a time for teachers, artists, community partners, arts administrators, and education leaders to reconvene,… [ Keep reading ]
We spoke with teaching artist and 2025 Fresh Perspectives lead artist, Janet Nechama Miller, about their background and insights on the program, leading up to the youth-curated show You, Me, & Everything Between Us. Read on to learn more. Janet is an artist and teacher based in Seattle, WA. Their… [ Keep reading ]
For the second year of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s Downtown Activation Plan (DAP), the Office of Arts & Culture has worked to lift up the arts and culture sector as a critical piece of a revitalized downtown. Earlier this year, we hosted “Downtown is Vibrant,” an event to share with community our… [ Keep reading ]
